Thomas e



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 T. E. BADEN.

. PILE HOLDER.

No. 300,432. l PatentedJune 17, 1884.

WIT/VESSES /IVVE/VTR (No Model.) 2 SheetsfSheet 2.

T. E. BADEN.

FILE HOLDER.

Patented June l?, 1884.

UN rrnn Sterns artnr Orifice,

THOMAS E. BADEN, OF VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

FlLE-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 300,432, dated June 17, 1884,

(No model.)

To all whom, may concern:

Beit known that I, THOMAS E. BADEN, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Nashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in File Holders or Boxes; and I do hereby de clare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the 'art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and

to the letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specication.

This invention relates to that class of iileholders in which is employed a sliding fol lower for clamping the files between the same and a stationary end board of a casingor box.

In several file-hold ers heretofore devised the pressure of the tiles or papers is relied upon for holding the follower in a locked position, and in others there is employed a rackand-pawl device for holding the follower in Contact with the files. These are types of fileholders which, although in general use, have not proved entirely satisfactory, because the pressure of the illes is the sole medium resorted to for locking the follower, and no provision made in such iile-holdcrs for locking the follower when short papers or les are placed therein.

My invention obviates all the defects of eX- isting le-holders, and involves a construction which is both simple and cheap and effective and reliable in use, and it consists in the employment of spring-guides or elastic side arms upon which the follower is free to slideback and forth. These springguides are formed of metal wire or rods which are bent in such a manner as to possess a sufficient degree of elasticity or springiness to hold the sliding follower in contact with the bottom of the iilehbox or holder. A ratchet or corrugated surface may be made on the bottom of the 1ilebox for engagement with the lower beveled end of the sliding` follower; or the bott-om of the box may be left smooth when the elasticity of the spring guides or arms is sufficient to hold the follower by frictional contact with said bottom.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a iile-holder constructed according to myinvention, the follower being in position for clamping the files. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional vie-w showing the follower when released from vthe files and drawn to the rear of the bon.

The box or holder is composed of the bottom board, a, and the vertical end board, b, permanently secured thereto. Side boards, c, may be attached to said bottom and end boards for giving strength and rigidity to the box or holder. Instead of these side boards, I may employ diagonal stays or braces for a like purpose.

At the sides of the box or holder are located spring or elastic guides or arms B, upon which the follower-board C is free to slide back and forth. The connection between the follower and guidearms is made by means of staples or loops d., applied to the side edges of the follower, and fitted on the guide arms, as is clearly shown in Fig. l. These guide-arms are generally formed of metal wire, as is shown in the drawings, and consist of the straight longitudinal upper member or guide-arm proper, (marked 63,) the reversely-bent end arms, b" b5, and the vertical extensions Z1 b" of the latter for securing the same to the stationary end board, and to the bottom board of the box or holder. The vertical extensions t7 virtually constitute end standards, which may have their lower ends bent inwardly, so as to form prongs or points bthat enter seats in the edges of the bottom board. The side boards, when used, may also be grooved at their rear ends for receiving said vertical extensions or standards bl. This construction is clearly shown in Fig. l. The extensions b are shorter than the standards b", and serve for attaching the guidearms to the stationary end board, suitablev screws being used for making the connection, and the extensions b being flattened and perforated. I have in the present instance shown the guide-arms and their reversely-bent springarins or extensions, when made of round wire or rod metal, in one continuous piece; but it is obvious that the guide-arms proper may be made of bar metal, or even of wooden or other bars, to which are attached Ushaped springs that give elasticity to the guide-arms, and are connected by ears and standards with the stationary end board and the bottom board of the IOO box or holder. The sliding follower or movable board G is beveled at its lower edge, as is shown in Fig. 2, and this beveled edge may engage with a rack or saw-tooth surface, F, on the bottom board, or simply be held against a smooth-surfaced bottom board by the pressure of the spring-arms, the friction between the bottom board `and follower sufficing to hold the latter in certain instances. The rack-teeth may extend entirely across the bottom board and be cut therein when said board is made of wood, or be cast or otherwise formed when the bottom board is made of metal or other material. Detachable plates suitably corrugated or provided with rackteeth may also be used by attaching the same so as to cover the bottom-board or only the portions thereof at the sides of the box.

It will be manifest that when the spring guide-arms are in the position shown in Fig. 2-that is, with the follower drawn to the rear of the box and inclined or thrown back to obtain easy access to the files-no pressure is exerted upon said follower; but when the latter is moved toward the end board or the vfiles contained in the box and brought into anv erect position, as is shown in Fig. l, the spring-arms bear upon the bottom surfaces of the staples or loops d and exert a downward pressure upon the follower for holding the same in engagement with the bottom of the box.

It will be evident that the pressure of the spring-guides alone is used to lock the follower, and hence the files or papers need not be compressed for obtaining a force for locking said follower. In order to release the latter, the

top of the same is pulled back by hand, which causes it to turn or vibrate upon the guidearms proper, the latter being brought to bear or rest upon the upper surfaces of the loops or staples d. The follower can now be drawn back, as its lower edge has been released from the rack-teeth, and the spring-arms ceased to exert a downward pressure upon the follower.

The rearward inclination of the follower shown in Fig. 2 will allow the files to be loosened and turned back for inspection, and, if desired,the springguides may be continued beyond the bottom board for also carrying the follower beyond the same. ,It will be evident, however, that when the file-holders are used' in connection with cabinets the spring-arms must be no longer than the end board of the holder. 4

Having thus described my invention, what claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a file holder or box, the combination of smooth-surfaced spring-arms or elastic follower-guides, adapted to spring out of a straight line by thelocking action of the follower-board, with stationary end and bottom-boards, and a. follower-board adapted to slide and rock on said spring-arms and engage with the inner surface of the stationary bottom board by the downward pressure of the spring-arms, substantially asl herein set forth.

2. In a file-holder, the combination of the spring arms or guides, consisting of astraight guide or upper portion and reversely bent `7o spring members at its ends, with a movable follower having side loops or staples, and a stationary end and bottom board, substantially as herein set forth.

3. In a leholder, the combination of the 75 spring arms or guides, consisting of a straight longitudinal top portion, reversely bent spring-arms, and vertical downward extensions of the latter, all made of one piecev of metal, with the bottom board, the end board, 8o and the movable follower, substantially as-herein set forth.

Intestimony whereof I affix my signature'iu presence of two witnesses. y n

THOS. E. BADEN. Witnesses:

J. W. BUKER, C. T. BELT. 

